Catapult?

Rizz

L5: Dapper Member
Dec 18, 2009
210
21
This is a question, which I've looked around on the internet but couldn't find a tutorial.

Does anyone know how to make a working "un-manned" catapult in Hammer for TF2?
That means, it's like a sentry but has longer range. I don't want it to target players, I want it to launch and hit at certain areas. To further what I mean, I want it to be on a timer so that it launches at certain times. It will hit in certain locations and can be destroyed.

Is this possible?
I've seen something similar to this before, but I don't know how I'd go about doing this.
 

Spammish

L3: Member
Jan 2, 2010
117
34
If you go to the Tutorials section you'll see something called the 'Rocket Spawner Prefab' you may be able to do something similar to his with yours, if you can't work it out from what he's said try asking him.
 

Rizz

L5: Dapper Member
Dec 18, 2009
210
21
Thanks, if I need any more help I'll ask him and reply back here.
Hopefully he's still active.
 
Feb 18, 2009
640
629
Do you want the locations where it hits to be random? if not, then you could just place a disabled trigger_hurt in the places you want, then enable them for 0.1 seconds when when you want. To add the rock, you could use a prop_detail or func_brush that is tied to a func_movelinear. Make it appear when the catapult is fired and move into the ground with the func_movelinear, add a few particles to make it more real and to disguise the transition.
If you do that well, it should look quite good. The only thing is, you can't destroy objects or brushes unless they are models triggered to animate.
 

Dr. ROCKZO

L8: Fancy Shmancy Member
Jul 25, 2009
580
159
For one of these:
medievilcp7.jpg

You'll need Models and Animations. If you just want something that flings objects, an entity system of beautiful proportions.
 

Rizz

L5: Dapper Member
Dec 18, 2009
210
21
I want to try to do this on my own, however if I can't get it working, can someone help me with it?
I'm right now making the model in Hammer so all you'd have to do is just set the entities up.
As I said though, I want to try first. ;)
 

Rizz

L5: Dapper Member
Dec 18, 2009
210
21
If anyone would be willing to spend some time working on what I've created, I'd be very happy. I want the catapult to fire one object (on a timer, in thirty second increments) at a certain location. The object (which is a big bomb) should make a pretty big explosion. (Not a nuke) I am at the same time reading up on torque.
Download
92626731-4.jpg
 
Last edited:

RavenStryker

Former Alias: †Blade†/Xi.Cynx
aa
Nov 25, 2008
782
844
Welp, first things first, the model is a little off. In order for it to look like it can successfully launch something that far it's gonna have to be a little taller in the mid region, by the way it looks it seems as if it'll only be able to fling the rock basically straight up before the big weight thing at the end hits the ground. Good initial try though, much better than others i've seen. if you do make the mid area taller though and have a better angle on your launching rod, i think this catapult will turn out quite great. =)
 

Rizz

L5: Dapper Member
Dec 18, 2009
210
21
Welp, first things first, the model is a little off. In order for it to look like it can successfully launch something that far it's gonna have to be a little taller in the mid region, by the way it looks it seems as if it'll only be able to fling the rock basically straight up before the big weight thing at the end hits the ground. Good initial try though, much better than others i've seen. if you do make the mid area taller though and have a better angle on your launching rod, i think this catapult will turn out quite great. =)

Thanks for the compliment, however can you provide me with some concept art that I can go off of?
I can only go off what's in my mind, and in screenshots. I've yet to find a screenshot that offered a panorama view.
Perhaps you could change the model it self that I made?
 

RavenStryker

Former Alias: †Blade†/Xi.Cynx
aa
Nov 25, 2008
782
844
Thanks for the compliment, however can you provide me with some concept art that I can go off of?
I can only go off what's in my mind, and in screenshots. I've yet to find a screenshot that offered a panorama view.
Perhaps you could change the model it self that I made?

Sure, I'll download it right now and edit it for ya ;-)
 

RavenStryker

Former Alias: †Blade†/Xi.Cynx
aa
Nov 25, 2008
782
844
okay, I edited it, no screenshots, and I left it all no draw for editing and texture purposes, remember to only use tf textures and not HL2. You might also want to redo that bould on the end and make it more of a sphere-ish shape, that's what to jittery to look good, and it hl2 texture.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/445558/TF2Maps/coop_siege_edit.vmf
 

Rizz

L5: Dapper Member
Dec 18, 2009
210
21
Can anyone explain how I'd go about making this catapult functionable?
Would I use phys_thruster or phys_torque?

What would I apply this to?
How would I make the catapult fire on a thirty second timer?
How would I make the object being launched land at a set destination?

I don't have much experience with some of the advance entities.
 

RavenStryker

Former Alias: †Blade†/Xi.Cynx
aa
Nov 25, 2008
782
844
I think your best bet here is going to be Booj, he likes dealing with entities, it's kind of his thing. Lol. Try and send him a PM and let have him take a look at this thread. I'm not to good with all that advanced entity stuff myself. Otherwise I'd help ya more. How'd the catapault thing work for ya? you get a more basic idea of what I was meaning?
 

Rizz

L5: Dapper Member
Dec 18, 2009
210
21
I didn't like your model, however I know you weren't going for detail but instead trying to show me how I could fix it. I'm going to utilize what you showed me and alter my creation.